Containers

ABSTRACT

The container comprises a plastic box, an inner, reusable lid and an outer lid. The box has an inner flange against which a peripheral flange of the inner lid bears, and an outer flange to which the outer lid is welded. A pocket can be located between the inner and outer flanges of the box opposite a region of the edge of the inner lid to permit the introduction of a flat implement under said edge for lifting the inner lid. And/or the outer lid can be welded not only to the outer flange of the box but also to the periphery of the inner lid.

United States Patent Jacques Honore Gaspard Ollier 17, Rue General Henrion-Bertier-92, Neuilly-sur-Seine;

Georges Frederic Grosshans, 53, bis rue de Boulainvilliers-75, Paris; and Robert Gaston Masson, 10, Boulevard de Courbevoie-92,

Neuilly-sur-Seine, France V W lnventors Primary Examiner- Davis T. Moorhead Attorney-Waters, Roditi, Schwartz & Nissen ABSTRACT: The container comprises a plastic box, an inner, reusable lid and an outer lid. The box has an inner flange against which a peripheral flange of the inner lid bears, and an outer flange to which the outer lid is welded. A pocket can be located between the inner and outer flanges of the box opposite a region of the edge of the inner lid to permit the introduction of a flat implement under said edge for lifting the inner lid. And/or the outer lid can be welded not only to the outer flange of the box but also to the periphery of the inner lid.

PATENTEDJAN 51% $552,634

SHEET 1 OF 4 SHEET 2 OF 4 PATENTEU JAN 5 m CONTAINERS The present invention relates to containers, especially made of a plastic material.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide improved containers concerning their initial fluid-tightness, the

stituting a container by the combination of a box of a plastic.

material and of two lids, to wit an outer lid welded on the box trapezoidal, tongue 6 corresponding to the difference between.

and an inner lid housed in the box under the outer lidand which can be reutilized.

Apart from this main feature, the present invention comprises other features and in particular the following ones:

the box comprises two flanges, to wit an inner flange and an outer flange, the inner lid being, after the box has been filled, merely pushed thereinto so as to bear along its periphery upon the inner flange of the box, whereas the other lid is welded on the periphery of the outer flange;

the inner lid is welded to the box along one of its sides, the outer lid being in turn welded on the inner lid along this side;

the inner lid is made, same as the box,.of a plastic material, whereas the outer lid is either a metal sheet, in particular an aluminum sheet of the thermoweldable'type, or is made of a plastic material;

the external lid is provided with a tongue which is not welded to the box, this tongue making it easier for the person using the box, to tear off the welded outer lid;

the box is provided over a portion of its periphery, in particular between the inner flange and the outer flange, with a pocket enabling the person who is to use the box to slit therethrough the pointed end of a tool or implement, or even a fingernail, in order to remove the outer lid; and

the outer lid is welded not only on the periphery of the outer flange of the box but also on the flange of the inner lid which bears upon the periphery of the inner flange of the box.

The invention is more especially concerned with containers for foods in the pasty or semiliquid state, such as yogurt, fresh cheese, jam mayonnaise and so on.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the appended drawings, given merely by way of example, and in which:

FIG. I is a top plan view, with a part of the upper lid torn away, of a first embodiment of a container according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on the line II-Il of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on the III-III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view, on the line IV-IV of FIG. 5, of a second embodiment of a container according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view corresponding to FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale of the left-hand upper corner of the casing of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but with both of the lids removed;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view on the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 9 of a third embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the box of FIG. 8, with a portion of the upper lid being torn away.

A container according to the present invention, as illustrated by FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, comprises, in combination:

a box I generally made from a sheet of a plastic material adapted to be molded in the hot state (polyethylene, polyvinylchloride etc.) of any suitable shape (of trapezoidal shape in the example illustrated by FIG. 1, but which might be square, rectangular, circular, elliptic, etc.), this box being provided with a double flange, to wit an inner flange 2 and an outer flange 3;

an inner lid 4, generally made of a sheet of the same plastic material as box 1, this lid being, after box 1 has been filled, forced thereon so that its periphery bears upon the inner flange 2 of the box; and

an external lid 5 made either of a metal sheet, for instance an aluminum sheet, as shown, or ofa sheet of plastic material,

advantageously the same as that of which box 1 and inner lid 4 are made, the outer lid 5 being welded on the periphery of the outer flange 3 of box 1.

Preferably, the container further comprises at least one of the 'two following supplementary features:

is not welded to the flange 3 of box I (in the embodiment illustrated by the drawing, lid 5 is rectangular, whereas box I is the two outlines), this tongue facilitatingth'e tearing oilof the outerlidS; H,

box 1- has, over a portion of its outline, in particular between the inner flange and the outer flange 3, a pocket 7 which permits of inserting the pointed end of a tool or instrument, or even a nail, to facilitate the removal of the inner lid 4 (in conditions which will be hereinafter explained more in detail).

A container of the type illustrated by FIGS. 1 to 7 may be made:

either by means of a continuous cycle machine including several operating stations, for instance of the type described in the US. Pat. No. 3,000,157 filed on Sept. 19, l96l, by us, a station, which may be hand operated, semiautomatic or automatic, being provided between the filling station and the welding station, to permit insertion of the inner lid 4 (in particular a system for the formation and the insertion of the inner lid 4 of the type disclosed in our copending application for lM- PROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR FORMING AND AP- PLYING LIDS OR BOTTOMS ON CONTAINERS;

or in a plurality of machines of the discontinuous cycle type, the operations for shaping box 1, filling this box with material, setting the inner lid 4 in position and welding the outer lid 5 being performed on different respective machines.

The container is fluidtight owing to thewelding ofthe outer lid 5 on box 1. The buyer of the product, when he wishes to reach the contents of the container catches tongue 6 and pulls it to tear off the aluminum film which constitutes the outer lid 5. Then he slips his nail, or preferably a knife point or the handle of a fork or spoon (if the container contains a food product) or the edge ofa screwdriver (in the case of an industrial product, such as a lubricating oil) into the clearance between pocket 7 and the periphery of the inner lid 4 to lift it out.

After a portion of the product contained in the box has been removed, it is possible to replace the'inner lid 4 which serves to protect (although in a less fluidtight manner than the outer lid 5) the contents of the box for several days.

Lid 4 may also be reset in position when the container is reutilized.

In FIGS. 4 to 7, which relate to a second embodiment of the invention, the same reference numerals have been used to designate the same parts.

In this case also, we have box 1, inner lid 4, outer lid 5, flanges 2 and 3, tongue 6 and pocket 7. But there are two differences:

on the one hand, the inner lid 4 is welded to box 1 along one of its sides 8, the outer lid 5 being in turn welded to the inner lid along this side 8; and

on the other hand, along side 9 located opposite side 8, box 1 is provided with a step 10 to fit inner lid 4 exactly in position by pushing it down in place.

FIG. 7 shows how, after removal of the outer lid 5 (shown in dot-and-dash lines), it is possible to lift inner lid 4 (in the direction of arrow F) and to remove a portion of the contents (not shown) of the box. The inner lid 4 (which has remained secured along side 8) can then be easily reset in position by pushing it against step 10. This embodiment has the advantage of preventing the loss of the inner lid 4 and of facilitating its setting in position.

The containers according to FIGS. 1 to 7 have many advantages and in particular they are fluidtight owing to the welded outer lid and they permit of preserving a portion of the contents after removal of the outer lid owing to the possibility of resetting the inner lid on the box. However in some cases, they involve the risk that the contents of the box, when it is liquid or semiliquid, can pass from the box into the space between the inner lid, slightly depressed in a central portion, and the outer lid. There is a risk that, when the outer lid is removed, the inner lid may be soiled and a portion of the contents of the box wasted.

The third embodiment of the invention, illustrated by FIGS. 8 and 9 permits of preventing an outflow of the contents of the box from the inside thereof to the space between the inner lid and the outer lid.

The container according to FIGS. 8 and 9 comprises, as the two first-mentioned embodiments:

a box 1, generally made of a sheet of a plastic material (polyethylene, polyvinylchloride, etc.) molded in the hot state, of any desired shape (rectangular as shown by FIG. 9, or possibly square, trapezoidal, circular, elliptic, etc., this box having a double flange, to wit an inner flange 2 and an outer flange 3;

an inner lid 4, generally made from a sheet of the same plastic material as box 1, this lid being, after box 1 has been filled, driven into position to bear along its periphery against the inner flange 2 of the box, eliminating also the air accumulated between the product and lid and,

an outer lid 5 made either of a metal sheet such as aluminum, or of a plastic material, advantageously the same as that forming box 1 and inner lid 4, this outer lid 5 being welded to the periphery of the outer flange 3 of box 1 at 5,.

We may also apply at least one of the following characteristics illustrated by the drawings:

the outer lid 5 includes at least a tongue 6 which is not welded to the flange 3 of the box, this tongue permitting an easy tearing off of the outer lid 5;

the inner lid 4 is depressed at 40 and might be provided in its central portion, with a projection 40 which facilitates the holding of the lid after removal of the outer lid 5.

Finally, in order to prevent any outflow of the contents of the box into the space between the two lids, the outer lid 5 is welded, not only, at 8,, to the periphery of the outer flange 3 of box 1 (as in the above-mentioned embodiments), but also, at S to the periphery 4b of the inner flange 2 of box 1.

Owing to this last-mentioned characteristic, the contents of box 1, between this box and the inner lid 4, cannot flow, even if it is liquid or semiliquid into the central space 40 between the inner lid 4 and the outer lid 5.

A container according to FIGS. 8 and 9 may be made:

either by means of a continuous cycle machine including several operating stations, for instance of the type described in the above-cited patent, modified to includebetween the station for filling boxes 1 (previously formed in a heating station and a thermoshaping station from a thermoplastic strip) and the station for welding the outer lid 5, from a strip, in particular of aluminum-a system for the formation and the setting of the inner lids 4 of the type disclosed in our copending application for IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR FORMING AND APPLYING LIDS OR BOTTOMS ON CONTAINERS;

or in a plurality of machines of the discontinuous cycle type, the operations for shaping box 1, filling this box with material, setting the inner lid 4 in position and welding the outer lid 5 being performed on different respective machines.

The finished container in fluidtight owing to the welding of the outer lid 5 on box 1. The buyer when he desires to reach the contents of the packing case holds a tongue 6 and pulls it to tear off the aluminum lid 5. Then he slips his fingernail or preferably a knife blade or a spoon or fork handle (if the container contains a food product) or the edge of a screwdriver if the box contains an industrial product (such as a lubricating oil) between the edge 4b of the inner lid 4 and the inner flange 2 of box 1 to lift lid 4.

The container according to the present invention has the following advantages: 7

it is fluidtight, owing to its welded outer lid;

it comprises an inner lid which may be reset in position after the outer lid has been torn off, which permits a good preservation of the product after a portion thereof has been extracted, or reutilization of the container;

the lids may be easily removed;

when the outer lid is welded to the inner lid the contents of the box cannot flow into the space between the two lids.

In a general manner, while the above'description discloses what we deem to be practical and efficient embodiments of the present invention, it should be well understood that we'do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts without departing from the principle of the present invention as comprehended within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A container which comprises, in combination:

a box of a plastic material, said box including an inner flange and an outer, peripheral flange;

an inner lid housed in said box, said inner lid having a peripheral flange bearing against said box inner flange, and said inner lid being adapted to be reused;

an outer lid covering said inner lid and welded to the periphery of said box outer flange, said outer lid being adapted to be removed, on breaking the weld by which it is welded to the periphery of said box outer flange;

a pocket located between said inner flange and said outer flange of said box opposite a region of theedge of said flange of said inner lid, whereby the edge of said flange of said inner lid is left free in said region to permit a flat implement to be introduced under said edge in said region for facilitating lifting of the inner lid.

2. A container according to claim 1 wherein said box includes an intermediate portion disposed between, and interconnecting, said inner flange and said outer flange of said box, said pocket being formed by a depression in said intermediate portion.

3. A container according to claim 2, wherein said inner lid is welded to said box inner flange along one side thereof, said outer lid being welded to said innerflid along the same said side.

4. A container according to claim 2, wherein said inner lid is a plastic material and said outer lid is thermosealing alummum.

5. A container according to claim 2, wherein both said inner lid and said outer lid are a plastic material.

6. A container according to claim 2, wherein said outer lid includes a nonwelded tongue to facilitate the tearing off of said outer lid.

7. A container according to claim 2, wherein the periphery of said outer lid is welded not only to the periphery of said box outer flange but also to at least part of the periphery of said inner lid bearing on said box inner flange to impede the escape of the contents ofthe box past said inner lid. 

1. A container which comprises, in combination: a box of a plastic material, said box including an inner flange and an outer, peripheral flange; an inner lid housed in said box, said inner lid having a peripheral flange bearing against said box inner flange, and said inner lid being adapted to be reused; an outer lid covering said inner lid and welded to the periphery of said box outer flange, said outer lid being adapted to be removed, on breaking the weld by which it is welded to the periphery of said box outer flange; a pocket located between said inner flange and said outer flange of said box opposite a region of the edge of said flange of said inner lid, whereby the edge of said flange of said inner lid is left free in said region to permit a flat implement to be introduced under said edge in said region for facilitating lifting of the inner lid.
 2. A container according to claim 1 wherein said box includes an intermediate portion disposed between, and interconnecting, said inner flange and said outer flange of said box, said pocket being formed by a depression in said intermediate portion.
 3. A container according to claim 2, wherein said inner lid is welded to said box inner flange along one side thereof, said outer lid being welded to said inner lid along the same said side.
 4. A container according to claim 2, wherein said inner lid is a plastic material and said outer lid is thermosealing aluminum.
 5. A container according to claim 2, wherein both said inner lid and said outer lid are a plastic material.
 6. A container according to claim 2, wherein said outer lid includes a nonwelded tongue to facilitate the tEaring off of said outer lid.
 7. A container according to claim 2, wherein the periphery of said outer lid is welded not only to the periphery of said box outer flange but also to at least part of the periphery of said inner lid bearing on said box inner flange to impede the escape of the contents of the box past said inner lid. 